Springforce Toilet Roll

This is, in my opinion, the absolute best value for money toilet roll out there at the moment. Its still cheap - only just above the value ranges.  It possibly lasts longer. Its certainly less flimsy, larger, a better overall texture. Its not "silky silky soft" which drives me crazy anyway. It doesn't shed - once in a great while you get a pack that does slightly, but its rare. It is technically a Tesco brand, but its one they've done a good job with.

Cost 1-10 with ten the most expensive: 2
Value for money 1-10 with ten being the best: 10
Durability 1-10 with ten being the most: 8
Usefulness 1-10 with ten being the most: 10
Importance 1-10 with 10 being the most: 10
Smile Factor 1-10 with ten being the most: 1 
Cool Factor: 1-10 with ten being the most: 1

*Do I think its the best in its field: YES
*Could I live without it: NO
*Target gender, age range, and possible further demographic targets : Adults, Female, Male

Disclaimer: No financial interest in this company and no-one else asked me to do this review.

Fairy Pomegranate & Honeysuckle

I seem to be thinking in themes lately, so I thought I would put a last bit of washing up review on.  Mostly because this is a <3.  Seriously, absolutely brings me the stupidest joy.  Mostly because it smells nice, I only *wish* they made fabric conditioner that smelled this nice.


So, if you live in the UK, you will tend to be aware that only Fairy really works well for washing up.  I can attest to that over and over, and sometimes *and over.*  It cuts through grease, actually, for real.  My hands feel better when I use it after grease or raw meat.  I've never tried the super special crazy platinum fairies (I know that's a dodgy plural!)  Insofar as I know, all of the normal ones work equally well, I've prolly tried about four of them, and never heard anyone else comment either.  So, its all about smell. 

I love this smell.  Honeysuckle on its own always seems too sickly for me, but the pomegranate just makes it perfect, I'm not sure I smell exactly pomegranate, but I smell a fruit modified honeysuckle that I adore.  Some people just don't smell it as much (tho don't find it offensive).  There are stronger smells available (like lemon, and apple).  Smell each of the bottles in the shop to make your own decision, but can I just recommend giving this one a chance if you're on the fence?

They even managed to make the red pretty (and I don't favour red).


Cost 1-10 with ten the most expensive: 3
Value for money 1-10 with ten being the best: 10
Durability 1-10 with ten being the most: 10
Usefulness 1-10 with ten being the most: 10
Importance 1-10 with 10 being the most: 10 (No other way to wash up, and washing up liquid can also be used to clean most other home surfaces)
Smile Factor 1-10 with ten being the most: 7 (Seriously makes me smile at random lots, more than almost anything else so cheap or chore related at the least!)
Cool Factor: 1-10 with ten being the most: 2

*Do I think its the best in its field: YES
*Could I live without it: NO
*Target gender, age range, and possible further demographic targets : Adults, Male, Female 

Disclaimer: No financial interest in this company and no-one else asked me to do this review.

Fulton Folding Umbrellas

Its like an answer to all my umbrella dreams. No, really! And somewhere within the range, you should find one that answers your dreams as well. I'm not sure my exact one is sold anymore, but it is quite close to a Superslim. It measures 22cm when closed (they range about 15-23.5 from what I can see) and a mere 50cm when open (the lowest current one is 86cm?). With just a 3cm diameter it fits in almost all of my handbags, no mean feat. Its super lightweight, amazingly sturdy, and has a nice round handle. The funny rectangle ones just don't *work* in my hands! However some of the other ranges allow for square handles, or "standard' ones, and slightly bigger umbrellas. This is often for the price of a bit more weight, but most people will hardly notice the difference.

Both my current one and my near identical previous one had patterns, but they have plenty of plain colours as well as a variety of both interesting and cheesy patterns. My previous one was a victim of the same crime that lost me my handbag and ridiculous amounts of contents, and the umbrella was one of the last things I managed to replace, as foolishly I hadn't noted the brand first time around. Neither have ever shown the least signs of breaking, over a collective three year period (the current one is about two years of age).

It does a fairly good job ending itself to being put away properly, the cover is easy to use, awesomely matching, and makes putting it away wet no problem. I seldom dry it afterwards, although its never truly a bad idea. My cover was very recently lost in a bus stop accident, and I miss it, but until that moment it was very useful! Its not your standard golf umbrella, and you won't easily fit another person under it, but this makes it even easier for darting around in the city with. 100% Win.

Cost 1-10 with ten the most expensive: 2
Value for money 1-10 with ten being the best: 10
Durability 1-10 with ten being the most: 8 (I wouldn't bash it against walls when open, etc)
Usefulness 1-10 with ten being the most: 10
Importance 1-10 with 10 being the most: 8
Smile Factor 1-10 with ten being the most: 7 (Increases with increasingly awesome patterns. I've averaged the two I owned, but seen some others that would ramp that right up...)
Cool Factor: 1-10 with ten being the most: 6 (Depends on your patterns. Hardly uncool, though, on the whole).

*Do I think its the best in its field: YES
*Could I live without it: YES, BUT MY LIFE WOULDN'T BE AS GOOD (I would, without one, be living without an umbrella entirely... it is doable, but not ideal)
*Target gender, age range, and possible further demographic targets : Male, Female, Most ages, City (Living or travelling)

Disclaimer: No financial interest in this company and no-one else asked me to do this review.

RIP Steve Jobs - Macbook Pro

My publishing date happening just before his death, I was going to wait until next week but decided that I would do an extra one instead. I wouldn't usually have wandered into something moderately controversial, but it seemed fitting that I tote up a beloved product (I also have an iPod touch which I like, replacing previous iPod + poor obsolete palm). Lets be clear, not everyone needs a Macbook Pro, heck not everyone needs a Mac at all, but unless you programme or otherwise work with computers for a living and are confident what you want, or truly budget strapped, I do recommend them.

The operating system is easy to use, and very sleek, as are the computers themselves, the silvery pros more than many of the others. You wouldn't think that necessarily makes a huge difference, but if you spend loads of time a day in front of your computer, that extra feel good factor will really help. I learned this lesson the hard way, over duvets of all things... its worth spending the extra £100 on something that you use constantly even when budget strapped, even if it means giving up lots of things you thought you wanted or needed. You see the benefits surprisingly quickly. If you rarely use computers tho, your return on investment is lower, and you should consider on other factors.

They are however hard to break both physically and software wise, easy to get repaired under warranty, and the metal casing particularly is rather durable, doesn't even scuff too badly. Yes it can get slightly cold or hot, but not as much as I was expecting (and I think I'm unusual at putting laptops on my bare skin!). Things like pages and iMovie are enough for me to love Mac OS brilliantly, and the monitors are great for setting to colour realism... but now I have my pro, finding a particular love for its structure, weight, and looks. Weigh it up, but give it more consideration than you might have at first glance.


Cost 1-10 with ten the most expensive: 9 (I'm not going to recommend much in this price range in the near future, and probably nothing that actually requires replacing with any regularity...)
Value for money 1-10 with ten being the best: 7 (Your mileage may vary in this rating, both more or less)
Durability 1-10 with ten being the most: 8 (Its hardly invincible but its not prone to issues)
Usefulness 1-10 with ten being the most: 10 (Its a great computer with a great battery life, its one of the things I use the most)
Importance 1-10 with 10 being the most: 7 (Again, mileage may vary)
Smile Factor 1-10 with ten being the most: 9 (Its not a perfect outfit or "the cutest thing ever" but I never knew electronics that were well made and looked good could cause such general pleasure in life)
Cool Factor: 1-10 with ten being the most: 10

*Do I think its the best in its field: YES
*Could I live without it: MAYBE, BUT I'D BE UNHAPPY (If I had to live without a computer at all, my life would have to have changed rather drastically from what it is right now, but I could theoretically survive with a different computer, even if I'd be unhappy.)
*Target gender, age range, and possible further demographic targets : Female, Male, Teenagers, Adults, Seniors, People who use computers a lot or have the money, or seriously are into style

Disclaimer: No financial interest in this company and no-one else asked me to do this review.

Make-up - Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer (Original)

Disclaimer - I have no financial interest in this company, and no-one asked me to do this review.

I know some people will have gone running to the hills as soon as I mention make-up, and thats not a gender specific problem, either. I don't mind what you do or don't do - this isn't a fashion blog! But lots of people do use make-up, and this is a highly genericly useful item.

I think most people have realised after a few tries that eye shadow just doesn't last more than an hour or so unless you use a primer. With a primer and the right shadow you can get all day/all night coverage, and sometimes the "all night" extends into the next day if you don't wash it off first... but this is a good thing in the long run. There are several out there, but urban decay is the best I've ever had, and most of the (limited) make-up professionals I've run into recommend it as the only one. It is pretty easily available around the world, which is also ace. As someone who wears it "most days" I'd say it last you about 1.5 years to a tube, so its not too bad with cost either (depending a little on country.. its only about £1/$1 a month (heavily estimated). And you won't get far without it, so buy that FIRST with just one eye shadow palette and two brushes, then expand.

Now, I have expanded, and I can tell you that creme eye liners also benefit loads from primer, and some pencil ones seem to as well (tho just pencil is fairly resilient on its own... if i only wanted 6-8 hours of pencil and no shadow I might skip it, especially if I would be wanting to change my make-up in the evening). A good liquid eyeliner has no need of primer at all, so if that and mascara are all you have, save it for the next shadow moment. I am specifically recommending original, they have four types these days however. They all work equally well, but are not all clear. Depending on your skin tone and the type of shadow you use, you may find another type besides original is sometimes or always useful, so do try them. But for me, they just didn't work, and so I will only come out firmly in favour of the clear version.

Final bonus, it fits easily into make-up bags and hand bags, and is a distinctive shape, so easy to grab by feel.

Cost 1-10 with ten the most expensive: 7 (You are paying a fair amount for a tiny tube...)
Value for money 1-10 with ten being the best: 10 (It lasts ages and completely makes everything worth it)
Durability 1-10 with ten being the most: 9 (Occasionally it wears off, but maybe twice a year?! And that when its older...)
Usefulness 1-10 with ten being the most: 9
Importance 1-10 with 10 being the most: 8 (I want it to be more, but have to recall that you can use liquid eyeliner etc to effect so there are limited other options (plus some people can just use mascara and a lips focus. I'm taking "if you wear make-up" as a given here, otherwise its a zero surely??)
Smile Factor 1-10 with ten being the most: 3 (Its useful, and not ugly, but it has no intrinsic smile factor)
Cool Factor: 1-10 with ten being the most: 5 (Urban Decay are a little cool, but it is just primer)

*Do I think its the best in its field: YES
*Could I live without it: NO
*Target gender, age range, and possible further demographic targets : Female, teenagers & adults, also useful for all genders/ages in theatre/tv/film/some photography, or any similar situation... even fancy dress, if you like. But value for money will go down with less uses, particularly less than once a week.

Sharpie Markers (Multi-coloured)

Disclaimer: No financial interest in this company and no-one else asked me to do this review.

It just needs to be said - if you need a marking pen, buy Sharpies. I've tried so many random off brands for so many reasons, and some of them haven't even been remotely useable. Even the ones that wrote at all, weren't anywhere near as good as sharpies. You can find good deals on them, too, if you look in the right places.

My original motivations for buying the multi-coloured ones were to use in the lab, it helped me tell apart experiments/days more easily, and since everyone else had black ones, they were harder to steal (in fact I didn't lose a single one). But they are great for labelling food in shared fridges (more versatile than black) and labelling boxes, and they have a super cool smile factor when you can use random colours for things. Its one of those not very expensive but not strictly necessary purchases that has just been full of win. And win. And win!

I'll have a quick run down of the colours in case you're thinking of buying an individual colour or a small pack instead of the large one. Navy, Purple, and Brown are essentially a cooler version of black, sometimes with more versatility. Nothing else is as solidly good for when you need a dark colour. Red and Magenta are also useful on a large variety of surfaces / tend to stand out. I have used Teal, Orange, and Turquoise and enjoyed them, but they only take to certain surfaces / background colours. Light green and Yellow are both very hard to use, and surprisingly the standard green isn't loads better.

Cost 1-10 with ten the most expensive: 3
Value for money 1-10 with ten being the best: 8
Durability 1-10 with ten being the most: 10
Usefulness 1-10 with ten being the most: 9
Importance 1-10 with 10 being the most: 4 (Lets be honest you can get around sharpies in most situations, and can always get around coloured ones)
Smile Factor 1-10 with ten being the most: 9 (They bring me SO much grin)
Cool Factor: 1-10 with ten being the most: 7 (There is a geek cool element in play here, but that counts. And even non-geeks like them!)

*Do I think its the best in its field: YES
*Could I live without it: YES, BUT MY LIFE WOULDN'T BE AS GOOD
*Target gender, age range, and possible further demographic targets : Male & Female, Any age over about 14 years of age, definitely anyone who has to label things a lot for any reason, otherwise for fun, moving, or similar!

Hairspray - Boots, its the best

Disclaimer: No financial interest in this company and no-one else asked me to do this review.

This is a simple but heartfelt one. The best hairspray I've ever come across - and its Boots own brand. But, not all of them. To be really specific, the extra firm hold which is not perfumed. Any lighter or heavier of a hold doesn't really seem to work as well, and I'm not alone in thinking this, I've had this discussion with a handful of people. In interest of full disclaimer, I've never tried the perfumed versions, but I personally prefer products without added perfumes where I can, anyway. Its the light purple spray bottles, for those of you who want ease in shopping. And the large cans are a lot easier to work with, but they do all work. No frizz, no mess, doesn't weigh your hair down, and can be used as much as needed. ACE.

Cost 1-10 with ten the most expensive: 1
Value for money 1-10 with ten being the best: 10
Durability 1-10 with ten being the most: 8
Usefulness 1-10 with ten being the most: 10
Importance 1-10 with 10 being the most: 10 (I never really go a day without it)
Smile Factor 1-10 with ten being the most: 6 (Its important, but more relaxing than giggle inducing)
Cool Factor: 1-10 with ten being the most: 3 (Hairspray is cool... ish?)

*Do I think its the best in its field: YES
*Could I live without it: NO
*Target gender, age range, and possible further demographic targets : Male & Female (absolutely recommend for both), Any age over about 10 years of age, and honestly pretty much anyone who has hair more than about an inch in length that isn't dreaded or braided full time.